Chapter 9 – The Cursed Child

The day after the intense sex with Cecil is over.

I am currently hanging around lazily in the village. Speaking of Cecil... It was impossible even for her legs to stand up, probably because I was intense yesterday. She had shown something so shameful yesterday, and said that she doesn't want to meet me today. Well, saying "I'm sorry" while having half of her face covered with the sheets is still cute as ever.

Cecil acting shy, refined and all is really nice.

Now then, today, the cutest girl in this village, let's...

"Hmm?"

As I walk further, there is a bunch of people forming a crowd. Worried about it, I went to them.

"What happened?"

"Oh, Prince"

A middle-aged woman who realized it's me gave an explanation.

"Actually...The cursed child has disappeared. Though it must have gone looking for something to buy..."

"The cursed child..."

Certainly the cillage chief has said something about it.

But, what the hell is a cursed child…?

"You went to the house of the village chief yesterday, right? Didn't you hear the story there?"

"Quite, but I wasn't paying any interest in it. I was told it was better not to go out in the meantime, but is that really dangerous?"

"Yes, that is so"

"How far was the damage dealt?"

In some cases, it might be necessary to ask father, and possibly put out the army.

It is important to check the damage situation. However, the woman made a clouded face.

"The damage is...not really in particular..."

"Hmm? Then there is none?"

"Yes..."

"Then, there are signs of going wild in rage?"

"N-not that..."

"..."

There is no real harm and no sign of harm either. But still a cursed child though.

"Then why are you so alert on this?"

Now that I see it, all the people in the crowd are male adults. And, considering that there is such thing as a cursed child, then some event has happened that caused it.

"The truth is...the children in the village have also gone missing"

"Missing?"

If it is true, then this is a big deal.

"Then I'll also look for them"

"The prince is?"

"Is it not good?"

"No way...is it just that for a trivial village like ours...it would be shameful to trouble your hands further"

"Don't mind it. It's just that I'm free"

The report from the spirits haven't come yet, and Cecil is still sleeping. I went out because alone in the room, stuck house-sitting. With that I became bored.

"If the fellow is a dangerous person, shall I get rid of it? I am confident in my self-defense skills, so don't worry about me"

"Y-yes….."

Perhaps it is considered bad for a prince of a country to do something like this. Well, that is also true in a sense.

"Even if something happens, it's my own responsibility. And rest assured, I am in no mood to die"

"...understood"

Convincing her, albeit reluctantly, I also joined the search for the "cursed child".

We separated respectively, divided by the areas to look around for. I acted alone and came near a pond that existed outside the village. Besides the cursed child, all of the other children have gone. A child's conception is often wilder than an adult. In other words, I chose a place whom you would not find very much. Adults will be looking for the mountains in the village and adjacent to it.

Now then...let's see if my judgement is correct. As I thought about it, I heard a high voice from the back of the tall grass.

"Hey, cursed child! Take this! "

Thinking I should cut off the grasses, I faced there. After, what came into view was children throwing stones.

The target is――that girl!?

"You guys, stop!"

I shouted out loud when I realized.

"What are you doing?"

"Guh, we've exposed by a red haired lad!"

"Ke-Keel-kun...this person... it's the prince you know!"

"Haaa? Someone like a prince into our village!?"

"My mom said so after all. The prince came to our village"

"...That's how it is"

I approached the children while shrugging.

"You guys, isn't it good to bully others?"

"Because this fellow is a half elf!"

Ha-Half elf...?

Even though I heard it clearly, is it surely...?

Half-elves are children born between humans and elves. Even though they were born from the love between the two races, both often target them with dread and fear.

I see, that is why she became a cursed child. Well, never mind that. It's a half-elf, just a half elf but...

"You guys, no matter who you are, bullying isn't good. And especially if it is a girl, you have to be even gentler"

"Muuu... Shut it, you are saying that because you're the prince. Let's go"

And with that, the children have gone away.

"Sigh... what troublesome kids"

I turn to the girl.

Uoh … I didn't realized it a while ago, but she's pretty cute.

Blue hair sat up to the length of her shoulders, and clothes that leave her chest wide open in a big way. Being constricted in that narrow corset of hers made it become a considerable size in comparison. Well matched with her pleated miniskirt, isn't she a really fine jewel?

"Are you okay?"

"… I am fine"

She looked away from me with a shadowed look somewhere.

I felt the coldness the way she sharply looked at me, but I also found out her pretending to be tough somewhat.

"You have a wound you know? From being hit by the stone earlier"

But when I was about to approach her,

"...don't come"

She pulled a step back.

"Heyhey, you got some blood out"

"I said I'm fine. Don't worry about it"

"Uhm, I'm not the type of man to desert some kind of girl like that you know?"

"But... if I were to involve myself with the prince I..."

"Stop degrading yourself. Don't worry, it's originally a good reputation."

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. Was she relieved? Her expression has relaxed a little.

"Look, it is dangerous out there as it's the shore of the pond"

"Eh? I see... you're right"

And she grabbed the hand I stretched.

"Come to think of it, I haven't heard your name yet"

"Oh, yeah... my name is―― Fran Mason"

"Fran I see. Nice to meet you"

"Yes, same for me"

The moment when I try to pull Fran,

"Kyaa――"

Did she took a wrong step? She was thrown off balance. And because I was still holding her――SPLASH!

We both fell to the pond.

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Well, here we are introducing a new character.

So see ya